1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video camera or similar movie camera and, more particularly, to a switch for inputting commands associated with shooting in such a camera.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a video camera, for example, a shoot start/stop (S/S) button has customarily been implemented by a non-lock type switch which causes the camera to start shooting when pressed for the first time and causes it to end shooting when pressed again subsequently, i.e. a so-called double action switch. The double action switch is convenient to manipulate when the video camera is operated to shoot a desired scene continuously over a relatively long period of time. However, when it is desired to shoot a scene or scenes intermittently at relatively short intervals, the above-mentioned consecutive manipulations of the switch have to be repeated for each of the intermittent shots. Besides, in the case of such short-timing shooting, the operator is apt to shoot a desired scene while continuously pressing the S/S button and apt to misunderstand that the shooting has ended when released the S/S button.
In the light of the above, there has been proposed a video camera which uses a so-called single action switch in place of the double action switch discussed above. This type of video camera continuously shoots a scene while the S/S button in the form of a single action switch is pressed and stops shooting as soon as the switch is released. Although such a single action switch may be convenient to operate for intermittent shooting which occurs at short intervals, it is awkward to operate when it comes to shooting which continues over a substantial period of time because it has to be pressed continuously throughout the shooting. Furthermore, when the video camera with the single action switch is mounted on a tripod or similar pedestal, a person who operates the camera cannot join in the scene to be shot.